Fallen Angel
by totaleclipse9110
Summary: Spencer has her mind made up with a dreadful decision. On her last night out, she meets a girl seemingly as broken as she is. As she is put to the test... will her good heart give in or will her broken heart be too much to over come? first fan fiction. reviews will tell me to continue
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I DO NOT OWN ANY PART OF SOUTH OF NOWHERE!**

**Chapter 1**

**Captivating Introduction**

The music bounded off the walls and barricaded the hot bodies that occupied the dance floor. For some, the laser show of designs flooding their eyes was mesmerizing. But for one girl, it was a painful reminder of everything she couldn't let go of.

Her heart simply hurt. It never rested. So her decision was made and set in to the stone that was her mind. So, with that done, she finally felt a semblance of peace. A small smile played on her lips as she came to terms with it all. She let herself pretend she could feel the care-free state of mind that her peers around her intuitively grasped.

Her peace never lasted. As her table was shaken and tilted into her stomach, she returned to reality to find a slender brunette trying physically to do what she tried to do mentally… get a steady foot hold on herself.

"Ohmygod! Im s-sorr-ry!" The blonde was annoyed and intrigued all at once. This poor girl was wasted out of her head and no one around seemed to take claim. She held the tall table steady so the brunette could find up and down.

"Are you alright?" she wasn't sure this girl could manage to speak after the display.

A scary ironic sort of laugh came from the drunken lips, "ALWAYS." the word was dry and emotionless but her expression was anything but…

"Where is your boyfriend… or date…or friend… w-who did you come here with?" sure this beautiful mess wasn't at a club alone. That's what bars are for.

"Wh-why would I come here with-sssome one? I wanna fuck and I can't do that if I have sssome one!" she said it so nonchalant that the blonde felt insulted. The brunette hadn't even acknowledged the person trying to help her so she got off the bar stool and moved around the table to leave when the brunette started speaking again.

"Whoa!" The blonde stumbled back as the brunette tumbled into her arms after the exclamation. She was unsure what to do at this point because the brunette was in awe of the sight before her. Feeling more self conscious than usual, she blushed at the blatant stare.

"What are you looking at?" the blonde's own blue eyes stared straight at the honey brown ones before her.

"Y-you… You're… Amazing." for a second the five foot five brunette appeared sober.

"Um… is there anyone you can call to come for you… or something?" the blonde felt embarrassed for asking when the brunette gave a heavy shrug. The blonde felt a sense of loneliness where the girl was concerned.

"You're drunk so let's get you home." feeling suddenly responsible for the girl in her arms, she began to lead her to the exit.

"But I don't wanna go…" the brunette's voice was child- like and pleading. The blonde felt her resolve soften just a but. The girl in her arms was breath taking to say the least and a decent height considering her own five-seven stature. But something in this beauty's eyes made her mind go blank.

"Why not?" she asked as softly as she could to still be audible.

"Because if we leave, you will disappear before tomorrow comes… I don't like waking up alone." the brunette before her managed to tear her already tattered heart… she did the only thing should could do…

"I promise… you won't wake up without me…" this seemed to do it as the brunette held dear to the blonde's leather jacket and followed her towards the door…

"Thank you…" the statement was sounded small enough to come from a distance… and it made the blonde want to find the path to it…


	2. Chapter 2 Game, Set, Match

_Oh my God! I've been hit by a fucking Jack Daniel's truck! _Her mind started on this happy note as she tried to sit up in bed. With her eyes still closed she realized the comforter didn't feel right beneath her clammy hands. _Awesome! Now I have to sneak out of here without waking up who-ever-the- fuck I went home with last night._Knowing she wasn't home. She tried her best to force a recovery. She moved the foreign cloth off of her legs in an attempt to prepare to stand up.

"I wouldn't if I were you." She jumped at the sudden voice that seemed to come from across the room. Her eyes opened ever so slightly and to her appreciative approval the room was lightly lit by a lamp on the desk in the far corner and nothing else. It was then she realized the almost silhouette seated at the desk.

"And who the hell are you to tell me what to do?" Bad-ass Ashley made an appearance after finding her bearings.

"No one special. Don't worry." the brunettes words for finding a one time partner rang in the blonde's head all night as she watched over the girl. She found herself being tender with the beauty and it frightened her. So she tormented herself with the memory of what the girl was like. Even if she was drunk.

Taken back by the words, Ashley squinted to try and adjust her sight enough to see the face of the voice. The sound was sexy and comforting to her all at once and she wanted to see the face that it belonged to.

"Well that's disappointing. You sound hot so at least you WOULD have been my type. Too bad. I'm pretty good at what I do." this was the normal for Ashley. Crude, rude and in charge of everything even when she knew she was so out of control.

"I'm sure you are… then again getting drunk never was a difficult sport." She'd heard enough. The blonde stood up and walked straight to the opposite wall and hit the switch next to the bedroom door. The brightest lights Ashley had ever seen went on and she swore it would have hurt even if she wasn't hung over.

"FUCK!" The blonde watched her fall back onto the bed holding her head and cussing obscenities into her arms.

"Now if you would kindly stand up without throwing up and get the fuck out, I have shit to do that's better than you." the blonde went back to her desk and began writing again.

Slowly, the brunette uncurled herself and sat up. The room came to a more visible state and she took in her surroundings for once. The walls were missing objects that had been hung from some time in various spaces on lilac walls. Boxes were stacked along them with pictures in frames that fit the faded areas. As she carefully swung her feet to the side of the bed, she noticed the rag in cold water on the night stand, the small bathroom trashcan with a bag tied carefully sitting inside it on the floor, and the cup of coke with two pills beside it. Suddenly she felt an emotion she hadn't felt in a long time… Guilt.

Lost with what to do or say, she decided on a question.

"What are these?" she picked up the small blue capsules next to the cup. There was no answer. So she picked them up and took them. The coke surprisingly felt good going down her throat. Normally throwing up made her mouth so raw and dry that she couldn't eat or drink anything for a day.

She stood up from the bed and walked over to the door. The guilt was still intact. She looked down to think of something to say to her mysterious guardian when a picture in one of the boxes caught her attention. It was of a blonde girl with blue eyes facing the sun and wearing an oversized hoodie.

_Oh wow… how gorgeous. _She was mesmerized by the light hitting the girl's eyes and the light the eyes gave off.

"You know you should really learn to keep your thoughts in your head." the blonde was by her side in a second and snatched the picture from her hands. "Do you always touch things that aren't yours or are you just particularly doing it to me to piss me off. I told you to leave." Taken back by the rough words and obvious annoyance, she stared at the gorgeous woman from the picture. Ashley was intrigued. She had never been reprimanded by anyone before and it gave her an odd sense of approval of the girl.

"I'm Ashley." She said to the roaring blue eyes and watched the confusion dance away the anger.

"What?" the blonde narrowed her eyes at the girl obviously dumbfounded at the girls reaction to her insults.

"My name is Ashley. Ashley Davies." the brunette stuck her hand out to the blonde and did her best to portray her gratitude to the girl.

"Are you stupid? What makes you think I'd shake your hand after what you've said to me today and last night?" the blonde crossed her arms for emphasis.

"Because you don't strike me as the type of person who turns down someone's apology." Ashley responded as she felt her eyes do something they hadn't done since she was a teenager… show remorse.

The blonde stared at her for a second… just studying and evaluating the situation. Finally she sighed and dropped her hand into the brunettes.

"Thank you for shaking my hand. And I would like to formally apologize if I could just know the name of the person I owe the apology to?" Ashley's soft smile spread as the girl before her carefully unwound.

"I'm Spencer. Spencer Carlin." the blonde didn't return the smile and it was then that Ashley realized… the light shining off of the eyes in the picture was gone…

"Well… Spencer Carlin, I think I'm supposed to say thank you for what you did last night but since I don't have any memory of last night nor experience in saying 'thank you', I'll say this: You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." Ashley gave a very big, very sincere smile that made her nose crinkle.

"Does that line actually work?" Spencer was amused by Ashley's persistence. But she didn't let it show too much. Hell, her participation in the conversation was enough to tell anyone that knew her that Ashley had her attention. Then again… no one did know her. At least… not the way she longed to be known…

"I'm not sure yet… I've never used it before. So you tell me." Spencer blushed slightly at the girl's remark and, for once, was speechless.


	3. Chapter 3 Not That Easy

_This girl is seriously pushy! _Spencer thought as Ashley's compliment rang in her head from earlier that morning. Some how the brunette got her to spend the day walking down the board walk with her in Los Angeles. Spencer silently watched as Ashley negotiated at EVERY stand of jewelry and practically stole what she was buying. Realizing quickly that this was one of the girl's favorite pastimes, she watched carefully to catch the little things. This was her norm now. Nothing ever got past Spencer; no detail unnoticed. Her silence was the only give away of everything she was learning.

"You really don't like to talk do you?" Ashley said as she was comparing two different bracelets off of the table.

"Not particularly, no." Spencer spoke very properly and this confused Ashley. She found it endearing but alarming. It made her slightly self-conscious of her own vocabulary. But being Ashley Davies, she had to be the bad ass.

"Well I don't PARTICULARLY like that." emphasizing the word, she turned and looked right at Spencer to engage her reaction. She was completely unaffected. This made Ashley get this sneaky smile across her face.

"I don't remember asking you if you did or not." Spencer threw back as she walked to the other side of the brunette to the railing overlooking the water. She didn't say it with sarcasm… she was serious and the brunette immediately wanted to retract the statement.

_I swear it's like nothing phases her but yet everything she says is like a knife… _Ashley recalled their conversation that morning.

"I didn't mean to upset you." Ashley said walking up behind the blonde who had her hands intertwined behind her back. A very odd stance for a woman barely in her twenties.

Spencer turned without letting her hands go to face the shorter brunette. Her eyes were soft and her lips were toying with the idea of a smile. It comforted Ashley but she remained fearful of the comment that might come from the taller woman before her. She began to find her new bracelet more interesting than the intense blue orbs studying her.

"You should stop looking at your feet. The stars are the ones that change and disappear. You'll miss it." This statement caught Ashley off guard. Her head snapped up and her brows furrowed in confusion.

_She is so weird… _Ashley then noticed the smile that opened up on Spencer's lips. It was the first smile she'd seen on the girl but it made her feel like it was the first smile she'd ever seen, period.

"You do smile." Ashley smiled in response. This made the smile fade comfortably and lie lightly on her lips.

"Every now and then."

LINE

After the board walk, the girls ended up at Ashley's three story mansion. Spencer's mouth was open as she entered and didn't shut until Ashley lightly closed it.

"So Spencer… tell me a little about yourself." Here it was… the dreaded questions. Spencer disliked them… very much. It seemed that every time she answered one, it was used as ammunition later. She had learned her lesson.

"There isn't anything to tell." She replied hoping to satisfy the girl.

"Oh come on! There always is. How old are you?" Spencer hesitated but the girl waited patiently for an answer. Realizing she wouldn't let it go, she decided to just evaluate each question.

"I'm 21." stating simply she saw the gears in Ashley's head begin to turn. _Oh here it goes._

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Ashley sat on her bed against the pillows with her legs crossed Indian style and patted the space in front of her. Spence moved and sat on the side with her feet firmly on the ground. She was ready to run and it did not go unnoticed by Ashley.

"Yes." One word and Ashley was learning that learning about Spencer was going to be like pulling teeth.

"How many brothers." deciding she wasn't patient enough to ask every detail she decided to out smart the blonde.

"One." this answer made Ashley curious but wasn't sure how or if she should approach it. Spencer's eyes lightened like water and Ashley saw the pain take form. She left it alone for the time being.

"How many sisters?" Spencer leaned on to her knees using her elbows and tilted her head to face Ashley while resting it in her palm.

_Clever girl. She's too smart for me to do this the conventional way. Straight forward it is._

"One."

_Man, her eyes change color like leaves in the fall… I wonder what emotion it is when they become dark and dull._

"She's older right? And so is your brother?" Ashley decided to change it up and judging by the look on the girls face and the soft turning of the corners of her lips she'd bet Spencer was impressed.

"Lucky guess." Spencer replied finally turning to face Ashley. "How old are you?" She had to turn the tables or this girl would find out things she wouldn't want to know.

"Nicely done. I'm 21. I'll be twenty-two in two months." Ashley laughed at Spencer's quick thinking. "You know… you are the only person I've been able to spend this long with, without getting bored or annoyed." Ashley bared a truth to see what Spencer's reaction would be.

"Thank you for the compliment." Nothing. No comment about the time they had spent together. No recognition of enjoying Ashley's company too. Just as her mind began to run away with her about why Spencer might not like her, a cell phone began ringing.

"Hello?" Spencer's voice was unwavering. This surprised the brunette since most people answer in a different tone. Suddenly Ashley realized she could hear the other person on the phone yelling. Spencer was stoic. Her eyes never changed and Ashley waited to see what color meant anger. Nothing. This worried her because it was almost inhuman to not respond to threats. The voice stopped. And Spencer's eyes had changed… They were completely disappointed.

"I have to go." with that Spencer stood up and walked right for the door with no good-bye. No nothing.

"Spence!" Ashley was on her feet in a second. Spencer stopped walking and carefully turned. She had never heard worry in anyone's voice over her before. It caught her off guard. Ashley was in front of her now and seemed more nervous than she had been since they met. "Uh… I just wanted to thank you for today. I know spending time with the drunk bitch from the bar last night wasn't on your itinerary for today but… thank you." She rambled and Spencer found it rather… cute. Not that she'd ever tell the beautiful stranger.

"It was not as bad as you make it sound." Spencer's smirk comforted the fidgeting girl before her. "Thank you for the invitation. I had a great time." Her smirk rose to a full on smile… the second Ashley had received from the girl… and it was more attractive than the one before.

"You are welcome." Ashley's nose crinkling smile appeared as she felt herself become completely content. This was a rare moment for her and she hadn't felt it in years. That was it… Spencer was her antidote.

Ashley walked Spencer down to the door and watched her walk away into the dusk after refusing a ride. She didn't live far but it was still L.A. and it was getting dark. But she respected the beautiful stranger's wishes and watched as she walked off her driveway.

_No… it won't be that easy Carlin… _Ashley ran upstairs with her nose crinkling smile and quickly got changed. She was on a mission and nothing was going to stop her.


	4. Chapter 4 An Almost End

The car slowed to a stop about twenty feet from in front of the house. Ashley's nerves began to flutter in her stomach… an experience she was new to.

_Whoah! What is going on…? I feel… sick? No, that's not sick. Ah fuck! Am I getting fucking butterflies? What the hell? I don't do butterflies! _Just as she was about to take off, her conscience began its argument with her mind.

_You are here because you want to be. Don't lie to yourself for once. Let her in. She'll be okay._

**Oh hell no! Ashley Davies does NOT do attachment! And what do butterflies equal? ATTACHMENT! I'm out of here! **

_Then you will never know this girl… _

… **Fuck you.**

With that her conscience won…

1 hour earlier

Spencer walked home with a new relaxation in her lips and eyebrows. They weren't tense like usual and her mouth curved slightly. This was the first time she had felt contentment in years and all that was on her mind was a petite brunette.

She walked in through the door of her childhood house; not home. Immediately her head hung down; eyes directly at her feet, as she made the abrupt turn to the staircase on the left, just feet past the threshold. Her smile still seemingly intact.

"Oh! Look who's home, Glen!" The snarl from the brunette that resembled her drunk father quickly altered Spencer. She was back to herself. Only pausing for a moment she decided it'd be best to just go upstairs and not say a word. Suddenly the other dirty blonde appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't little Spencer! Have fun with your perversions tonight?" his voice was laced in venom as he descended to her.

"What's the matter Glen? Catch another rash?" The side Spencer dwelt in constantly but silently was silent no more.

"Uh oh, I think we are making her angry." Andrea, Spencer's sister, was stopping her escape at the bottom while Glen, her big brother, blocked the top.

"Oh no! What if we catch that homo-disease?" Glen was attempting to smile but his snarl made Spencer's stomach curl.

"Well then you'd be a walking medical mystery for the CDC!" Spencer said calmly. This was her usual. Calm and collected. Never letting them get a rise out of her… which usually only led to..

_Ughf! _One punch to the stomach from Glen was all I took. Down the stairs she went clutching her stomach and coughing.

"Fuck you dyke. Mom should have had the abortion when she got knocked up with you. You were the downfall to Mom and Dad. Why else do you think mom left and dad's a drunk?" Andrea whispered into her sister's ear as she heaved for air.

With that, her sister left with Glen. Reality suddenly hit her and she remembered that night at the club. She was going to fulfill her own fate and her siblings reminded her why.

Ashley had guessed that Spencer had been home for about 30 minutes now. She went around the left side of the house where she estimated Spencer's window faced. Knowing how cliché it was she decided to do what she planned anyway. Well, she'd come this far, so why stop now?

She found some small pebbles and tossed one to the lit window. She recognized the soft lighting from the lamp on the desk and the butterflies got stronger. When there was no answer she tossed another, making sure it hit this time. Again no answer. Feeling discouraged she began to walk away when her gut began to hurt. She suddenly felt sick like something was wrong. She turned around and saw the water drain pipe scaling the side of the house and pass right by her window.

Without hesitation, she went for it. Carefully holding her weight she climbed up till she could step on the decorative tan bricks jetting out of the small red ones. The ledge was wide enough to step on with the balls of her feet and the widow was only an arm span away.

She stretched her arm out and grabbed the corner of the wall where the window indented. Quickly she brought her feet together and she could see there was no screen on the window and it was cracked open. She stepped fully on to the wide window sill. Crouching to lift the window she looked inside… Spencer was sitting Indian style on the floor, leaning against the wicker footboard of her bed. Her head was bobbing to the side and Ashley's stomach dropped.

She threw the window up and ducked inside, (obviously having done this before), she landed on her feet. Spencer didn't even register someone was in the room.

"Spencer!" Ashley ran to her and gently grabbed her face with both hands. "Spencer, open your eyes. Look at me." her voice was gentle but panicked. "You have to stay awake Spencer! Please, stay awake!" Spencer's eyes kept rolling into the back of her head and Ashley suddenly became aware of what she needed to do when the empty prescription pill bottle rolled out of her hand. Spencer fell unconscious…

The bright lights blinded the girl when she tried to focus.

_God! My head! Help! Help!_

She became aware that she was talking but nothing could be heard. Her throat burned like the fire from a thousand suns and her head rang like a gong. Her eyes finally adjusted and she realized she was in the hospital. She became all too aware all too fast. The tubes down her throat, the wrist restraints on her arms, and the emptiness of her room. _How did… _

"OH MY GOD! YOU'RE AWAKE! OH THANK GOD YOU ARE AWAKE!"

_I know that voice. _

"Shhh.. Don't move okay? Relax. Spence relax. I'm right here. Everything is going to be ok. I'm going to go get the doctor. Okay? Just relax. You're going to be okay."

Instantly Spencer stopped fidgeting. She was at a loss of words.

_Ashley's here? How did she know? Did she come over and someone let her in? Did she bring me to the hospital? Oh no! That means she knows what I tried to do! Great now someone else to witness my failures! _

Suddenly, Ashley returned with a brisk walk and went right to Spencer's side. She grabbed her hand that was attached to the bed railing.

"They paged the doctor. You are going to be okay. I promise." her eyes had tears in them and Spencer didn't understand. So she tried to ask, momentarily forgetting the tubes. The burn came back as the muscles in her neck began to tighten with the normal action. Ashley took notice.

"Sh. It's okay. Don't talk. You're okay. I'm right here. Relax." Spencer just stared into the honey brown eyes, desperately looking for the reasons Ashley cared so much. After all, no one else did…

The doctor walked in about ten minutes later.

"Miss Carlin, I am Doctor Carlo and I must say you are very lucky miss Davies found you when she did and knew what to do. You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her." The tall doctor said in a very deep voice. "Now, let me get the tubes out of your throat you don't need them anymore from what it looks like. You are going to feel some discomfort, it might even hurt a little. Just please keep your throat as relaxed as possible. When I pull it out you may need to throw up. This is natural so don't fight it. We want to be sure you got all the pills out of your stomach. Ashley will you please disconnect the restraints on her wrist so she can sit up and lean over the edge?" Ashley did as she was asked. Spencer noted how gentle her touch was.

"Okay miss Carlin, I am going to do this quickly okay? Deep breath on three okay?" She nodded. "Okay, one, two, THREE!" In an instant the tube was gone and Spencer threw up over the side of the bed. What surprised her the most was how quickly Ashley was right there with the trash can in front of her face. She dry heaved two more times and her stomach finally settled.

"Try to allow spit to fill your mouth and re-wet your throat. It may be sore for a few days but I'm sure it won't be a big issue." Dr. Carlo grabbed his little flashlight pen and began to check Spencer's vitals. "Well everything seems to be normal, your blood work from last night says you only ingested the first four pills which is a non lethal amount. Now I have to ask Miss Carlin… Was this on purpose or was it an accident?" His eyes were very knowing but the question wasn't accusing.

"It was an accident. I didn't even realize I had taken that many… I took two for a headache and when it wouldn't work, I'd take more. That's what I get for not paying attention." Spencer never looked at the doctor knowing she'd see the look in his eyes that said he knew the truth.

"Okay well we contacted your father and he said he was on his way. I want to keep you for observation but everything is saying you will be fine." He flashed a smile at Ashley and turned back.

"Thank you, doc." Spencer was to tired to try to stop the doctor from letting her dad in.

"So, when can she go home?" Ashley piped up.

"I want to hold her until tomorrow morning, then she is free to leave." the doctor made his way out of the room with her chart.

"Maybe you should leave, Ash." Spencer was looking at her hands in her lap.

"Oh." Ashley's eyes showed pain and Spencer heard it in her voice.

"It's just… my family isn't great. I don't want them to offend you." The fragile sound in her voice off-threw Ashley. She was vulnerable and Ashley didn't like where it came from.

"Well, you're shit-out-of- luck, kid. I'm not leaving you." Ashley walked up to Spencer and sat on the edge of the now rail-less bed. Spencer looked up and received a warm smile. "I can take care of myself." The honey glow in her eyes made Spencer feel better in an instant. Just as the contentment began, it was rudely interrupted.

"Figures you'd have a whore in here with you." The visible chill Spencer got at the sound of the voice made Ashley figure it was someone in the Carlin family. She looked up at a blonde boy that looked like Spencer. He would have been attractive if she couldn't see through him. Next, in came a black haired, hazel eyed woman who looked just like Spencer but with harsher features. Ashley could see the resemblances but it was like Spencer was the angel and they were demons. This notice made bitchy Ashley rise.

"What the hell, Spencer? Are you THAT big of a fuck up that you couldn't even kill yourself right?" Andrea piped up.

"I'd like to see it done right. Why don't you give it a try?" Her head whipped to Ashley and Spencer's eyes grew at her nerve.

"Excuse me? Who the fuck hit your buzzer?" Andrea took a step towards and Ashley was up in a second. What Spencer didn't realize was that she was actually an inch taller than Andrea and that inch made it look like Ashley towered over her. That or the smoldering look Ashley's face expressed did.

"First off, there is no excuse for you except that God does make mistakes. Second, I don't have a 'buzzer'. It's called a Bitch detector. Now I suggest you back up and back down because I wrote the fucking book on beating a bitch." Ashley's voice was low and raspy as Spencer saw her sister begin to get nervous.

_Ashley's sexy when she's mad…_

The thought surprised Spencer and alarmed her all at once. She was instantly interrupted by her forgotten brother from her inner turmoil.

"Well, well, well! Look at this fine piece of ass! Glen side stepped Andrea as she had her eye staring battle with Ashley who broke it when he began to circle her.

"St-stay away from her!" Spencer's voice strained like she had lost her voice. She was becoming furious at the way her brother's eyes scanned over Ashley's body.

"Shut up, runt!" Glen snapped. This made the anger in Ashley boil over. In a second, Glen was face down on the floor with Ashley's knee in his back. She had his arm twisted and obviously dislocated since his hand could touch the back of his head and his elbow in the middle of his back. Her reaction was so quick, Spencer didn't even know how she got him in that position and she watched the whole thing.

"Don't… ever… talk to her like that again in front of me. Do you hear me? Or I will shove your own dick so far up your ass, you will feel a lump in your throat…" She got off of him and he yelled in pain. Andrea ran to him to help him up. Spencer made eye contact with Ashley as the two left the room. Spencer knew now that Ashley had a hard past as well… She felt safe.

"What the fuck were you thinking, Spencer?" the cold voice rang from the door. Spencer's eyes darkened for a split second.

_Hurt. _Ashley thought. She turned her head to the door way and saw the man who looked like he hadn't slept in weeks. Then the smell of booze slapped her nose like a fly swatter. _This must be her dad. She looks just like him only blonde. _

"You are such a screw up! I'm tired of hearing about you and your failures. Get your shit and get out!" he turned on his heel and was gone. Ashley felt the pull at her heart when she looked at Spencer. She could relate.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that…" the gloss over Spencer's down cast eyes didn't go unnoticed by Ashley.

"Don't be sorry. I told you you'd be okay. That I was right here." She positioned herself back on the bed next to Spencer's hand. The tears were falling from her eyes now. "Come stay with me. I could use the company and as you well know, someone to hold my hair back on Friday nights." Spencer didn't answer.

"Please, stay with me?" Ashley's own voice sounded foreign to her. She had never been so… revealing and pleading before. But something about Spencer Carlin had gotten to her. What it was, she had no clue… but she desperately wanted to find out.


	5. Chapter 5 new beginnings

When Spencer was released from the hospital, Ashley was already trying to figure out how to get Spencer's stuff. Suddenly, she got the greatest idea in the world. Well, to her it was.

"What do you absolutely need from your room?" Spencer's head popped up in surprise at her sudden question.

"Uh… well, my guitar, clothes, CD's, bathroom stuff, a lot." she was beginning to feel more comfortable around Ashley but it took everything in her to ignore the brunette's beauty.

"You play guitar? Nice! What kind?" Spencer had already noticed Ashley's collection of band equipment. She had drums, electric guitars, basses, and a keyboard.

"I play acoustic guitar." The brunette noticed the soft blush that crept across her face. She couldn't help but smile at it. "I'm not great though." This dismissal of her own talent seemed to happen a lot.

_We will have to remedy that. _

"Well why don't we go get your stuff then? I'll be there and I think I scared the shit out of your brother and sister so they shouldn't be an issue. And your dad…well.."

"Won't be awake. He drinks at night, passes out during the daylight, wakes up, eats, and does it all over again." Spencer's eyes were dark again and this made Ashley's anger grow. Her eyes became so dark it was almost like they lost color.

"Okay then, lets go get your stuff." With that, the girls hopped into one of Ashley's trucks and took off. Spencer hadn't asked about Ashley at all but from what it looked like, the girl had mad money.

_It funny… she doesn't act like a spoiled rich kid. Maybe she was denied in other ways…_

This thought pulled at Spencer's heart. She wanted to know this girl… maybe more than she was ready to admit.

In minutes they were there. Ashley drove the Black with chrome Nissan Titan like a pro as she backed it into Spencer's drive way with ease.

"I'll go in first. I don't want them to gang up on you." The concern in her own voice caught the blonde off guard.

"No, we go in together. You're not doing this alone and I know I can't do it for you." That statement shattered what hope Spencer had of not getting attached to this girl.

"Okay, fine." Spencer hopped out of the passenger side and Ashley did the same. Spencer unlocked the front door and peeked inside. "Coast is clear." Ashley giggled behind her and they walked right to the stairway. As they began to make their way up, Ashley's guard rose. She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach and she couldn't place it.

Spencer went for the bedroom door and could hear laughing inside. _Shit. _

She threw the door open wide enough for both her and Ashley to witness her brother and sister destroying her belongings.

"No… No…. NO!" Spencer ran in and grabbed her last song book from Andrea's hands and stared at the torn pages. Her eyes over flowing in tears. Next she ran to Glen who was standing in the middle of a pile of wood that was her guitar. In his hands he had her CD's that were broken in half all around him. She pushed him so hard that he stumbled back three feet. Their cold laughs made Ashley's skin crawl. Andrea watched as her devastated sister sat in the middle of it all and cried. Her clothes were everywhere, her picture frames shattered, spirals and spirals of poems and songs destroyed. The scene broke Ashley's heart.

"Spencer, you are so pathe…" Andrea didn't get to finish. Ashley had her hands around her throat as her back hit the floor.

"Finish the word… and I swear to what ever 'demon' created you, it will be the last thing you ever say." Andrea's eyes were wide with fear staring at Ashley. She couldn't breath. Suddenly, her shoulder felt a soft touch. She turned her head to see a broken Spencer kneeling by her. Ashley's hand loosened at once. She got off of the girl with Spencer's help and put her head down. It was true, she had anger issues but it was never for the wrong reasons or on the wrong people.

Glen and Andrea left without another word and Spencer and Ashley stood in the middle of the rubble that once was Spencer's world.

"I'll be in the car." Spencer turned for the door and walked out. Ashley got a clever idea.

"Where are we going?" The two had been driving in silence but the soft smile playing on Ashley's face made Spencer question her sanity. Her own eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks were tear stained, and her feeling was numb.

"Don't worry. I've got you." This made the soft smile grow into a comforting one. Spencer relaxed and soon fell asleep.

"Hey Sunshine, wake up." Ashley gently woke the sleeping blonde.

"Are we home?" Spencer sounded like a little kid as she asked half awake. "I mean… what?" The switch from dream mode to aware was interesting for the brunette.

"Come on, we are here." As Spencer looked around, she noticed they were in a shopping plaza that was WAY out of her budget.

"Ashley, I can't even afford to pay attention on this side of town!" This made Ashley full out laugh and the sound caused a smile to play on the blondes face. Reality sat back in. "Ashley I look like shit, I've been crying and everything, I'm not in decent clothes." Ashley silenced the girl with a finger to her lips. This put them in a very close proximity.

"I told you, I've got you." the warm air from Ashley's words hit Spencer's lips and Ashley saw her eyes darken to a different shade. This color was electric. Just like the spark she felt when her finger made contact. With out moving her body she dropped her hand to Spencer's, grabbed on gently, and proceeded to pull her out of the car.

Four hours later…

"Ashley, you are crazy!" Spencer laughed as Ashley walked out of the store with eight guys following her, holding multiple bags in each hand. As the guys put everything into the truck, Ashley was handing them each a ten dollar bill.

"You did NOT have to buy all this stuff for me… I would have been fine." Spencer's concern over the money was more than transparent.

"Let me put it to you this way, this, right here, only took maybe a tenth of what was in my checking, and that's not including my other two bank accounts and my savings." Ashley jumped in the driver's seat as Spencer stood dumbfounded, trying to do the math.

"Lets go woman! I'm starving!" Spencer giggled as she got in the passenger's side. They spent the day just hanging out at the beach after that. Spencer didn't even think about her family until it came time for sleep. This was Spencer's worst time of day…


End file.
